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John McCain, Tom Coburn stall continuing resolution temporarily

McCain and Coburn initially wanted more time to read the 587-page measure. | AP Photos

McCain appeared most irritated with provisions in the defense and military construction portions of the bill — including $120 million for a project in Guam which he said had been specifically prohibited in the 2013 defense authorization act he helped write just months ago.

“I find it mind boggling. … There are provisions in this CR that were directly prohibited in the defense authorization bill,” McCain said. Warming to the topic, he went on to list a set of smaller health research projects which he argued were only a strain on available dollars for the Pentagon at a time of sequestration.

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“What we have found so far is so egregious,” McCain said. “So egregious that it is hard to imagine that anybody — in light of sequestration and the damage it has done to the lives of men and women in the military — could have added these kind of provisions.”

In fact, many of his complaints echo fights between the Armed Services and Appropriations committees — both with a hand in budgeting for defense. But in this case, what most upset Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was that the offending language for McCain was identical to what had been in the CR, approved by the Republican-controlled House.

“Just when you think it can’t get worse, it gets worse,” Reid said of the procedural objections. “I am stunned. I am really flabbergasted.”

Republican leadership aides insisted that a deal could be reached to begin debate on amendments Wednesday. But in his frustration at the end of the day, Reid filed a cloture motion Tuesday evening, setting up a cloture vote Thursday on the motion to proceed to the bill.

“A small group of senators have kept the Senate in slow, slow gear,” Reid said. “It’s a shame.”

Shelby, a tall Alabaman who towers over Mikulski by his side, held out hope with her of some progress sooner.

“I hope that reason prevails,” Shelby said, urging his colleagues to begin voting on amendments. “Up or down, that’s what it’s about, but the essentials of this bill are solid and good.”